Whether you are training for the national professional World Archery or IBO circuit, hunting deer and elk deep in the woods, or just shooting once a week at your local range, having the right arrow setup is critical to any archer. While the most scientifically complex element of arrows is their spine (either static or dynamic), one of the most important parts of the arrow composition, and one thing that is often not discussed enough, is the overall mass weight of your arrows.

We hear the debate about once a week in our shop: "You want a light arrow, man! You'll lost all your speed otherwise and then your deer is gone by the time it gets there! "No way- you need that high mass weight to get a lot of kinetic energy. Without it, you can't get a good pass-through shot and the deer can survive longer!So, which is it? Does an archer need light, fast, arrows or heavy arrows with a high kinetic energy rating? The truth is that sometimes, and archer wants both!

Fast, lightweight arrows are best for getting your arrow out toward targets that can react quickly (in the case of hunting) like an axis deer.. The lighter arrow is also advantageous in the event that you are shooting at distances that are not clear or that you have to estimate, because the lighter arrow will have a more stable/flat flight trajectory at the longer distances. When you get a light, fast arrow, it will get to your target quicker and give you some vertical forgiveness for longer range, but it will also cost you in flight stability and kinetic energy. Light arrows get there quickly but often do not punch as deeply into the target, creating smaller wound channels without passing through the target and increasing the distance that you must go to find the animal you were hunting,

Heavy arrows are excellent for taking down large targets or targets with a thicker hide that cannot be penetrated with lightweight arrows. Additionally, given their higher inertia and kinetic energy, these heavy arrows are less effected by wind and more likely to pass through a target upon impact, creating a larger wound channel for a quicker kill. Furthermore, these heavy arrows take so much power for your bow to shoot that they significantly quiet down your bow! So, in short, you get a heavy, powerful, silent shot. A moose is a good example of a target that would be better suited for a heavy arrow build, since they are one of the largest ungulates in the world and have thick hide and bodies. But keep in mind that these arrows drop much more quickly due to their weight, and thus are not forgiving for estimated distances, nor at longer distances where you'll have to have a specialty sight to be able to aim at the target.

So, what should you do? Well, the answer is not a simple "this one is better." What you should do is ask yourself what your goals are and how you will be using the arrows you are building. If you hunt shorter, known ranges and distances, if you are hunting larger game, or if you are looking to kill an animal as quickly as possible, it's time to get some weighty arrows like Easton FMJs or Black Eagle Deep Impacts. Conversely, if you are shooting at animals at distances you frequently must guess at, shooting at animals with quick reaction time, or shooting at animals with lighter hide, a lighter arrow such as the Victory V-Force or the CarbonTech Whitetail might be best for you.

Additionally, in the event you have arrow shafts whose weight you want to manipulate, keep on checking back to this blog where we will later show how to use brass inserts, heavy broad-heads, and lighted nocks to affect the arrow's dynamic spine rating and FOC.

In other articles, we will tackle many more parts of arrow information such as FOC (front of center) on arrows, setting up arrows with the correct spine rating, manipulating arrow spine, arrow diameter and friction, and more. However, for this week, use this information to end the debate- archers can make use of both types of arrows, and you should determine your goal before making your selections. Check out this video below for a summary of this information from Easton.